Hampton House has recommitted to our neighborhood, extending our contract to use their community room for meetings through April 2017.

Boston Shines: 15-20 people, including 5 Victory House residents, worked together to clean up the neighborhood and plant Chester Park.  We’ll request more mulch to treat street trees.

Neighbors also brainstormed ideas for winter lighting and outdoor events. We’ll be putting together some ideas for the Mayor’s Office to review for possible funding.

Expenses incurred for Boston Shines led to suggestions that we begin planning, budgeting, and fund-raising for Chester Park and the neighborhood. Look for this on June agenda.

Northampton St truck traffic:  Carol will work with the Mayors office on a petition to the City to exclude truck traffic from Northampton St. If you’re concerned about noise and safety on Northampton St, please contact info@chestersquareassociation.org. We need signatures from our neighbors.

Visit with your neighbors and work together

Meet at Chester Square Park on the East side of Mass Ave. for coffee and equipment.

Update and wrap-up for April activities

Comet Place progress

Petition to exclude trucks from Northampton St

Police Report, including Shawmut Ave stop sign enforcement

South End Forum

Next (Events, Beautification, Fundraising)

BPD report: crime is down. Tip for building managers: wood astragals (covering gap between double entry doors) should be secured with screws. Burglars easily pry off astragals fastened with finish nails to card the lock.

Proposals for development between Massachusetts Ave and Melnea Cass Blvd may interest/concern our neighborhood in a variety of ways, including loss of trees and open space, loss of parking, and increased population and activity (with consequent loads on infrastructure and environment). Ben volunteered to contact Northeastern University, a significant player in the area closest to CSANA, to invite them to our meeting.

Concerning a South End Forum proposal for a moratorium on new social services in the South End, CSANA agreed as follows:

• We want to support programs and services already part of the neighborhood.
• We can support expansion of existing services.
• We need to require coordination between services and programs.
• New services should be sited in other neighborhoods.
• Programs must be supported by medical community in some way (MGH, etc.)

SE Forum also proposed a security camera rebate (City of Boston to subsidize cameras installed on private property). CSANA voted rebates should only be granted in case of financial need.

Sam Chambers (Mayor’s Office) reported

• Northampton St is actually not a truck route. We are invited to petition BTD to restrict trucks on the street.
• BTD is reluctant to try to ban air brakes on Mass Ave, because it’s a state road.
• BTD has determined that visibility of stop signs on Shawmut Ave is adequate. We should work with BPD on enforcement.
• Boston Shines clean-up will take place April 29/30. City will provide tools upon request.

• BTD has agreed to sign Comet Place for one-way traffic, entering from Northampton and exiting to Shawmut.
• Sam will contact code enforcement concerning accumulated trash in the alley behind 505 Mass Ave.

Douglass Williams hopes to open new restaurant Mita (“generosity” in Italian) in late June.  We voted to provide letters of support for a full liquor license and for outdoor seating. We asked Douglass to bring seating plan to next meeting.