8-10 Taylor Community Meeting (Rescheduled)

The city is holding a public neighborhood meeting concerning 8-10 Taylor street.   This is the community meeting that was postponed due to the Marathon events.

The meeting will take place Monday, May 6th, 5-6pm at the Franklin institute, 41 Berkeley street.

The agenda for the meeting is as follows:

• 5:00 pm Introduction Hilani Morales - Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services 
• 5:05 pm Ellen Lipsey - Boston Landmarks Commission Meghan Hanrahan - South End Landmarks District Commission 
• 5:20 pm Michael Cannizzo - Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) 
• 5:35 pm Bryan Glascock - Inspectional Services Department (ISD) 
• 5:50 pm Questions 
• 6:00 pm Wrap up

All are welcome to attend.  Please pass the word.

Mayor's coffee hour

Spring brings us the return of the Mayor's Coffee hour.   Stop by and chat the Mayor about anything that's on your mind!    All are welcome to attend.

Wednesday, May 29th, 9:30am-10:30

8 Taylor public meeting

NOTE - The meeting has since been postponed due to the events surround the Marathon.  We will re-blog once a new date is set.

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The City of Boston is holding a public meeting concerning 8 Taylor street.   The BRA, ISD, Landmarks and the Mayors Office of Neighborhood Services will all be there.   The meeting is to answer questions and discuss measures the city will put in place so this situation does not occur in future developments  A full meeting agenda will be posted when the city passes it onto us.

This is a public meeting, and we encourage all Eight Streets residents to attend.   Please pass the word.

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What: Community Meeting to discuss 8-10 Taylor Street

When: Wednesday April 17, 2013; 6-7pm

Where: The Benjamin Franklin Institute Auditorium located at  41 Berkeley Street, Boston MA 02116

In Attendance: representatives from the Inspectional Services Department (ISD), The South End Landmark District Commission, The Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA), and The Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services. 

Snow Emergency parking

South End Patch put together some important tips on parking in the South End during a snow emergency.  

You can find the article here

If there is a snow emergency - even if you're not parked on an artery, you can park at a local garage at a discount rate (and save yourself from shoveling out!).   A complete list can be found on this city web page.

A bunch of other information on the city during snow times can be found on the city's Know Snow web pages.  Surf to find out Boston Snow information, including signing up for alerts to get emails when a snow emergency has been declared.  

For those in the twittersphere, you can follow @NotifyBoston, which tweets not only snow alerts, but trash, traffic and other useful city information.   Visit and follow!

Still time to get recycling carts

If you would like to get a recycling cart for your building, there's still time to request one from the city.
Carts are best for those abutting the Dwight street alley (PA705), or those that can store the cart inside their buildings.   Carts cannot be left on the sidewalk.    If you don't have space for a large cart like this, you can continue to use clear plastic bags.

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Nov 9 last day to request cart.  No winter cart deliveries.

Residents may request a big blue wheeled recycling cart until November 9th.  No deliveries will be made in the winter.  Deliveries will resume in the spring.

Public Works has a limited supply of recycling carts.  In order to be eligible for a cart, you must live in a residential builidng with 6 units or less.  You must have space on your property to store the cart, and you must bring it out to the curb by 7AM on your recycling day for collection, and return it to your property after it has been emptied. 

Please put your address on the cart.

Carts that are not being used properly will be removed by Public Works

If you need a recycling container but don't have space for a cart, you can still request stickers to convert trash barrels of your own.

To request a recycling cart or recycling stickers, please call (617) 635-4500, or visit www.cityofboston.gov/recycle.

Remember: Recycling carts are for recycling only!

NOTE: Only buildings with between 1-6 units are eligible for carts.  Landlords or property managers of larger buildings (7+ units) are required by law to provide recycling service to tenants.  If you are a tenant and would like to make sure your building sets up a recycling program, please call (617) 635-4500.  Thank you!

Fall Leaf and Yard Waste Collection

From the City - information on the Fall yard waste collection.


Fall Leaf and Yard Waste Collection: Oct 15 - Nov 30

Fall leaf collection runs for seven weeks: October 15 - November 30.  Leaf and yard waste is collected on your recycling day.

Place leaves in large paper leaf bags or open barrels marked "yard waste."  No plastic bags will be collected.  For free "yard waste" stickers, please call(617) 635-4500 or visit www.cityofboston.gov/recycle.  Two stickers are available per household.

Cut branches to 3' maximum length and 1'' maximum diameter.  Tie branches with string.

Place leaves and yard waste at the curb by 7:00am on your recycling day.

Leaf and yard waste in trash will not be collected during the two weeks before the October 15 start date.  Please save your leaves from October 1 to October 15, when collection begins.

Collecting leaf and yard waste for composting saves tax dollars, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and produces compost!  

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Eight Streets recycle days are Tuesdays - so yard waste can be out out on:

• October 16, 23, 30
• November 6, 13, 20, 27

Streetlights Going Green

The city has informed us that beginning in August, all of our acorn street light fixtures will be replaced with energy efficient LED light fixtures.  This is part of a program to be greener throughout the city, as well as cut the city's energy bills.  All city street lights are slowly being converted.

As you can see from the image on the right, the new lights will look the same.  (Well, if you look close you can see a smaller internal lighting mechanism).  They should put out the same amount of light as the current lights, with less "light trespass" (it should shine in your apartment window a little less).   The light should be white in color - similar to what we have now, but the light son Shawmut will probably be white, rather than the current orange tint they have now.

The regular streetlights on the Dwight Alley (PA705) were replaced a few months ago, and you really wouldn't know the difference unless you looked up at the fixtures.

Update: Shawmut will not be changing at this time.   From the manufacturer: we will be converting only the high cost mercury vapor lights on the residential streets in the South End at this time. We do not have an LED solution yet for the Sodium Vapor lights on Streets like Shawmut Ave at this time. They are in developement and may be available by next year.

Firefighters Exam

Is firefighting in your future?   The city's firefighting exam is coming up in April.  For more information, see this city flier (pdf) on the exam.   And/or follow the Boston Fire Recruit page on Facebook.   Applicants must be between the ages of 19 and 31, and have lived in Boston for at least 1 year.

"Ink Block" BRA Hearings

Notice from the BRA on a public hearing for development on the Boston Herald site - named by the developers as the Ink Block.  The project overview can be found in these Boston.com and Boston Herald articles

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Project Name: Ink Block (Herald Site)

Project Proponent: National Development

Project Description: National Development (the “Proponent”) is proposing to redevelop the underutilized and soon to be vacant site located at 300 Harrison Avenue in the South End (the “Project”). The Project includes the construction of three new buildings and adaptive reuse of the existing Boston Herald industrial building creating a mix of uses that include new residential and retail activity, and provide public realm improvements. The approximately 548,900 square foot Project in four buildings will create approximately 471 new residential units and a total of approximately 85,000 square feet of retail space, including a grocery store and multiple smaller scale ground floor retail and/or restaurant spaces, The Project is served by a parking supply of approximately 411 spaces, the majority of which will be in the form of structured parking.
Meeting Date/ Place: 6:00 PM, Thursday, February 23, 2012 at Project Place, 1145 Washington Street Boston, MA 02118.

Close of Comment Period: Friday, March 2, 2012

MAIL TO:                             ERICO LOPEZ
BOSTON REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
ONE CITY HALL SQUARE, 9TH FLOOR
BOSTON, MA 02201
FAX TO:                                617-742-7783
PHONE:                                617-918-4429
EMAILTO:                            erico.lopez.bra@cityofboston.gov


Erico J. Lopez
Project Assistant
Boston Redevelopment Authority
One City Hall Square
Boston, MA 02201
(p) 617-918-4429
(f)  617-742-7783
Erico.Lopez.BRA@cityofboston.gov

City hearing on Commercial trash pick-up times

A Hearing notice from Councilor Arroyo's office regarding commercial trash pickup times:

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We have heard from constituents throughout the City who are awoken at 2, 3, or 4 in the morning by the sounds of garbage trucks in their neighborhood.  Under current state law, the City of Boston can regulate the times for residential trash pick up, but CANNOT regulate the times for commercial trash pick up. To remedy this, I have filed a Home Rule Petition, co-sponsored by Councilor Mike Ross that would allow the City of Boston to regulate commercial trash pick up times.  

On February 27, 2012, beginning at 5:30 PM, there will be a Boston City Council hearing on this matter. I hope that you will be able to attend the hearing to support our legislation.  The details are below and if you have any questions, please contact Joy DePina at 617-635-4205 or at joy.depina@cityofboston.gov.

What:    Commercial Trash Pick Up Hearing
When:   Monday, February 27th at 5:30PM 

Where:  Boston City Hall

5th Floor, Iannella Chamber 

Sincerely,

Felix G. Arroyo
Boston City Councilor At-Large
One City Hall Square, 5th Floor
Boston, MA 02201
617-635-4205Felix.Arroyo@cityofboston.gov

Street Cleaning - Continuing updates

Hi everyone.   2012 is flying by, and March 1 will be here before you know it, bringing with it street cleaning changes.   As a reminder:

• Street cleaning now runs March 1 - December 31
• Towing begins March 1 this year - no 'grace period'
• Street cleaning is postponed if there is snow on the ground, or torrential rain
• The city's No-Tow web site will list when street cleaning is suspended, as well as let you look up sweeping for particular locations (and register for alerts)

The city should be delivering a generic 'street sweeping changes' flier to everyone's door around mid-February.  They will also be putting a paid advertisement in the South End news, and putting fliers on all cars at the end of February.

The city gave me some street-specific fliers.   If anyone would like to door-to-door flier a single ESNA street, please contact me and I'll get you the fliers.

I've also updated the Eight Streets Street Sweeping page with the new dates and times.  Please note there are a few hiccups.   Bond and PA705 were missing form the city's list, so I'm making sure they are updated.   They city also posted the wrong Shawmut street dates, so I'm waiting for an update on that as well.  Tremont and Washington st will not be changing sweeping dates or times.

Trash delayed this week

Happy Holidays everyone!!! And because Christmas is on a SUnday this year, the official City holiday is Monday, December 26th. This year, that means city trash collection, including the South End, is postponed one day this week!!!

 This week only, trash will be picked up Wednesday, Dec 28 and Saturday, Dec 31.  Recycling will be collected on Wednesday.

The week of January 3, trash collection is on the normal schedule.

I know everyone wants to get rid of their holiday trash, but please remember to put your trash out for Wednesday & Saturday.   Trash put out on regular collection days will sit there for an extra day.

Please pass this information onto your neighbors!

Vote!

If all the phone calls and fliers in your mailbox didn't tip you off:  this Tuesday, November 8th is election day.   We're voting to elect Boston City Councilors - a councilor for our district, district 2; and 4 at-large city councilors.


A complete list of candidates and links to their web pages, please see this South End Patch article.


Polls are open 7am - 8pm.   Eight Streets residents vote at Cathedral High School, corner of Union Park and Washington st.


See you at the polls!!!

Discuss the redistricting process

Councilor Linehan will hold a discussion on the redistricting process with his South End constituents on Monday, September 19^th from 6-8pm at the Franklin House, 11 East Newton Street. 

Councilor Linehan is Chairman of the Council’s Committee on Census and Redistricting. The Committee held a public hearing at City Hall in May and will conduct five hearings at locations throughout the City this fall. Given the 2010 Census results and the current delineation of Council districts, it has become clear that the South End will be impacted and likely to see changes to the current City Council boundaries as a result of the redistricting process.  

As your district City Councilor, Bill would like to solicit feedback from neighborhood leaders and those active in the community.  If you cannot make the meeting, you can contact the Councilor's  office  via email or phone at 617-635-3203.  

Dover St hearing on Tuesday

On Tuesday, May 24 there will be a hearing on the East Berkeley/Dover street name change.   The hearing is at 6pm in the auditorium of the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology (41 Berkeley st).

The purpose of the hearing will be resolve "any discrepancies" in the city's policy for street name-changes and to facilitate an open discussion on reclaiming the Dover Street name for the thoroughfare, currently known as East Berkeley Street.

More about the name change can be found here.

We encourage all to attend

Hearing on Public and Private alleys

On Wednesday April 27th the City Council will hold a hearing on Public and Private alleyways in Boston. the hearing takes place in the City Council chambers, 5th floor of city hall.  This hearing begins at 6:00pm. The hearing is sponsored by Councilors Arroyo and Linehan

We spoke of this hearing at the last meeting - the topic of this hearing is geared toward alleyways that are drive-able.   All Eight Streets alleys are walkable-only, and will not be discussed at this meeting.   Our only drive-able alley is already public - PA705, between Dwight and East berkeley.   (And if you missed the meeting - is due to be re-paved this season!!)

At issue in this hearing is the maintenance of alleys.   As the South End was built, some rear alleys were turned over to the city to become city property; while others remained private.    Private alleys allow the owners flexibility over use of the alley, but maintenance and snow removal must also be privately paid for.

Today, if the owners of an alley would like to turn the alley over to City control, the alley must be brought up to City standards, meaning in a state of good repair, ADA compliance, and conform to other city regulations.   This can be cost-prohibitive for the owners.    This hearing is to discuss this specific issue.

From the hearing flier:

The public is invited to attend and learn form city officials:

How alleys are designated as public or private
What jurisdiction the city has in providing services for private alleys
What duties private property owners have in upkeep and maintenance of private alleys.

Please feel free to attend the hearing.  Even though it is not an ESNA issue, it is a South End issue of concern to many residents.

A Boston.com article on the issue can be found here.

[Update] Two post-meeting articles can be found here:    South End Patch,   Universal Hub.

Yard waste pickup for Spring

City of Boston press release.   Eight Streets' recycling day is Tuesday


If you don’t have time to compost your leaves or yard debris this spring, Boston Public Works Department will do it for you.  Public Works crews will collect your leaves and yard waste on neighborhood recycling days from April 25 to May 20.

• Residents should place leaves and yard debris in large paper leaf bags or open barrels labeled “yard waste” (no plastic bags).  Yard waste stickers for barrels are available by calling (617) 635-4500.
• Residents should tie branches with string: 3’ maximum length. 1” max. diameter. They should not put branches in barrels.  
• Barrels, bags and branches should be placed curbs:

7:00 AM on your Recycling Day:  April 25 through May 20
Yard Waste will not be collected for two weeks prior to the spring collection (April 11 thru April 22).  Residents should please hold their yard waste until collection begins the week of April 25. 


More Information on Yard Waste Guidelines

Street Sweeping begins

A sure sign of Spring - Street sweeping is here!

As of April 1st, the street sweeping season for local streets has begin (although sweeping was postponed due to snow on Friday).   This week is the "first" week - many of our streets are cleaned on the First Mondays and Thursdays.  A full schedule for Eight Streets and surrounding streets can be found here (let me know if we need any corrections)

So please remember to move your cars this week.   Never mind the potential ticket - our streets are a mess after this long winter, and this is a chance to start the Spring cleanup.

Keep up to date on Boston notices

Unsure if Boston has declared a snow emergency?  Need to know when Boston has a parking ban due to snow?  Are schools open or closed?  Keep in touch with up-to-the-minute city notices by adding  NotifyBoston to your Twitter feed.  Tweets are kept to a minimum, but the information is worth following.   During these trying snow times you can also use the hashtag #bostonsnow on your tweets to share snow information with others in Boston.

Universalhub is another good source of Boston information.  It's more chatty and tweets more than notifyboston, but it's fun to see what goes on city-wide.  And of course you can follow our good friends at SouthEndNews.

What Boston twitter feeds do you follow or find interesting?   Add your favoriate to the comments!

Trash collection on SATURDAY this week

Because of the blizzard, this weeks' trash collection has been moved to SATURDAY, Jan 15th.   Please do not put trash out until after 5pm Friday night, or better still, Saturday morning.  

Also, since this snow won't be melting any time soon, please do your best to help the sanitation people.   They can't see over snowbanks and such.  Try to put your trash near a path that leads to the street.  If you have white trash bags, try putting your bags near your neighbors black bags so they can be seen.   And, as always, make sure your trash is in sealed garbage bags.  Please, no trash in paper department store bags or convenience store plastic bags - all trash needs to be in secured barrels or in appropriate garbage bags.

The change of date is for this week only.   Regular trash collection resumes next week.