Author: pnkldy

CSANA Agenda for May 7, 2014

CSANA will have its monthly meeting Wednesday, May 7, 2014 at 7pm at Harriett Tubman House,  566 Columbus Ave.
The agenda for the meeting is as follows:
1) Finalize Spring clean up plans, Saturday, May 10, 2014, including window box and planter workshop. Please see the attached flyers (2014-SpringCleanup 2014-COLOR_SPANISH-rev.2 2014-SpringCleanup 2014-COLOR-rev.2) and posters.
2) Introduction of possible by-laws changes. The by-laws committee proposes the attached changes to our existing by laws. We are introducing these possible changes in hard copy format at the meeting. These changes will be handled, beginning with the June meeting, by considering and voting upon select portions at each of several consecutive meetings.  We hope to have it ready for final approval by September. See by laws amendments 5.1.14 (1)
3) Update on Estelle’s proposed seasonal sidewalk cafe
4) Discussion and formation of local issue specific committees (e.g. determine the merits of making Northampton Street 24 hour resident restricted parking, history of Public Alley 802 and conversion to parking lot).
5) New business
The next meeting will be June 4, 2014.

window box workshop flyer

CSANA Minutes from March 5, 2014 Meeting

Chester Square Area Neighborhood Assoc.

Draft minutes for March 5, 2014

Harriet Tubman House, Columbus Avenue

The meeting was called to order at 7:00p.m. with 15 residents in attendance and briefly by the Mayor’s Office new South End Liason, Jordan Deasy.

1.  The minutes from January were approved.

2.  Stephanie Avanessian was voted in as treasurer.

3.  Jordan Deasy was introduced as the new Office of Neighborhood Services coordinator for the South End.

4.  Lloyd Fillion reported on the South End Forum meeting of Feb.10th, indicating that their agenda, as distributed at the end of January, was passed without change. Discussion regarding their proposal that the South End be a “space saver” free area of the city raised a question of the boundaries of the South End for this purpose- whether or not it included Northampton St.  Jordan Deasy was not clear regarding this question.  The issue of private sewers was raised with the BWSC chief engineer both asserting that the BWSC would not be responsible for private sewers and yet noting that a judge had ordered them to take that responsibility in one instance in Dorchester; this has interest for many owners of property at the ends of Mass. Ave. and Northampton St., between Tremont and Shawmut. There was also some concern regarding the authority of the South End Forum to represent the entire South End as their authority appears to have been self generated with no formal feed to or from at least this association.

5. A brainstorming regarding possible projects for this year was held, with many ideas surfacing.  There will be a follow up meeting on Saturday, March 22th at 10a.m., tentatively at Sara Mitchell’s house at 241 Northampton St. Issues raised including plans for plants in the parks, outreach to other neighbors through a door to door. (See the attached invitation brunch invite 3.22)

6.  The lack of work on the Scientology building was briefly discussed and a motion was passed to send a letter making inquiries regarding their intentions whether to develop or to sell.

7.  Neighbors of the South End House of Pizza raised concerns about the odors coming from their venting system.  A motion was passed to send a letter to the business directing their attention to this concern, requesting remediation and that the business be invited to the April meeting to report on their response.

8. In response to a question about 243 Northampton Street, there was no information to be shared, though it is believed that the Board of Appeal considered the issue (regarding total number of units to be developed).

9.  A break-in at 562 Mass. Ave. was mentioned; access was via the exterior fire escape, which gains access to the roof.

10. Joshua Fiedler and Michelle Laboy are intending to enter a city wide contest for the design of public furniture.  They are seeking neighborhood support for this potential addition to Chester Park.  A motion was passed that they prepare a design for presentation at the March 22nd meeting (see item 5 above) with a vote to approve or abstain at that time.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:30p.m.

Next meeting is April 2nd

Submitted by Lloyd Fillion, secretary

South End a “Space Saver” Free Zone

Based on the unanimous support from South End neighborhood associations in the South End Forum, the South End is now a neighborhood where parking space savers are not tolerated even during a snow emergency.

Beginning next winter, Boston’s Public Works Department may remove space savers immediately based on a Mayor’s Hotline or Citizen Connect request. Trash contractors will be instructed to routinely remove any object found in the street during the twice weekly trash pickup. Neighborhood associations will partner with the city by asking their membership to remove any space saver found on the street and place it with trash for pick-up.

Please keep in mind that if you place a space saver and it is gone when you return, it has not necessarily been moved by the owner of the vehicle currently in that space. 

CSANA Agenda for Meeting March 5, 2014

The Executive Board proposes the following for the March 5th meeting at the Harriet Tubman House, 566 Columbus Avenue, 7p.m.

  1. Election of new Treasurer
  2. New Contact person at the city’s Office of Neighborhood Services.
  3. South End Forum report
  4. Brainstorming projects for the coming year: neighborhood beautification; neighborhood events; other ideas.
  5. Scientology building (Mass. Ave and Washington St.) – update
  6. New Business.

The next meeting will be on April 2nd

We hope to see you on March 5th.